Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 February 2026
190. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the aggregate proportion of Ireland’s Official Development Assistance in each of the years 2022, 2023 and 2024 that was retained by implementing partner organisations for programme support costs, overhead, administration, consultancy or management charges; and the blended effective overhead rate across total ODA expenditure for each of those years. [13886/26]
View answer191. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the total amount of funding provided in each of the years 2022, 2023 and 2024 through core contributions to multilateral organisations; the programme support cost percentage applied by each such organisation to Ireland’s contribution; and the resulting estimated monetary value of programme support costs deducted from those contributions in each year. [13887/26]
View answer192. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade whether her Department applies any benchmark, ceiling, or reference range in respect of acceptable administrative or overhead cost ratios when approving grants under Ireland’s Official Development Assistance programme; if not, the rationale for the absence of such benchmarks; and whether any funded programme in the years 2022, 2023 or 2024 exceeded internally assessed acceptable thresholds for overhead or programme support costs. [13888/26]
View answer193. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of instances in the years 2022, 2023 and 2024 in which funding provided under Ireland’s Official Development Assistance programme was subject to financial correction, recovery, suspension, or clawback following audit or evaluation findings; and the total monetary value involved in each year. [13889/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 190 to 193, inclusive, together.
Ireland's international development programme, Irish Aid, focuses on providing support for those countries and communities most seriously in need, including those living in some of the world’s poorest or most climate-exposed countries, and those living in areas affected by conflict.
Given the variety of sectors, contexts and geographies in which Official Development Assistance (ODA) grant recipients operate, the Department does not apply generic thresholds for partners' administrative or overhead costs when awarding grants. Where appropriate, benchmarks or ceilings for administrative costs are instead applied at the level of individual grants or schemes. For example, under Ireland’s Civil Society Partnership for a Better World (ICSP), headquarters administration and programme quality costs are each eligible for funding up to a maximum of 6% of the total annual ICSP allocation.
Ireland provides core grants to trusted multilateral partners with which we share development and humanitarian priorities. Such core contributions amounted to €561.2 million in 2022, €629 million in 2023, and €703 million in 2024. These amounts include contributions to United Nations agencies, the World Bank and other multilateral organisations and Ireland's share of the European Union development cooperation budget.
Many multilateral organisations publish specific ‘Core Resources’ reports annually on the use of core funding, in addition to their annual reports. These core resources reports outline how multilateral organisations use core contributions to carry out their mandates. An example, UNICEF’s core resources report for 2024 is available at: www.unicef.org/reports/core-resources-annual-report-2024
These core contributions provide trusted multilateral organisations with essential flexibility and predictability, enabling them to prioritise their work effectively. It also serves as a foundation from which organisations can leverage additional earmarked funding to deliver targeted results for those most in need. Ireland’s core contributions are integral to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals and and supporting continuity of operations even during crises or disruptions.
In the case of the European Union, National Contributions’ by Member States are a condition of EU membership. The Department reports on the proportion of Ireland’s National Contributions to the EU which is categorised as ODA-eligible core contributions in accordance with the criteria and methodology established by the OECD Development Assistance Committee.
To ensure effective internal and external control, the Department’s independent Evaluation and Audit Unit provides objective assessment, assurance, advice in relation to the delivery of Ireland’s international development programme, as well as insight regarding corporate performance, governance, and risk management. The work of the Evaluation and Audit Unit is validated by an external Audit Committee.
Under the Department’s Counter-Fraud Policy, and as required by the terms and conditions of grant agreements signed, our funding partners are required to report all incidences of fraud and suspicions of fraud immediately. Partners are required to provide the Department with ongoing reports on all investigations into potential fraud. Figures in relation to fraud investigations in 2022, 2023 and 2024 are set out in tabular format below.
|
- |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
Number of Frauds Investigated |
4 |
4 |
6 |
|
Misappropriated Amount |
8,144 |
14,063 |
11,924 |
|
Recovered Amount |
8,144 |
14,063 |
11,924 |
Every effort is made to recover funds lost through fraud. All incidents of fraud by partner organisations investigated and closed from 2022 and 2024 were fully recovered.
